Best Phones Under ₹25,000 in India (October 2026)

The short answer

For most people the Poco X7 Pro (8GB + 256GB, ₹23,999) is the phone to buy. It has the most powerful chip in this list, a 1.5K AMOLED screen, a 6,550mAh battery and a 90W charger in the box. If photos matter most, get the CMF Phone 2 Pro (₹18,999), the only phone here with a telephoto camera. The Poco X7 (8GB + 128GB, ₹17,999) is the one to get if you want a curved 1.5K screen and want to spend less. The Poco M8 Power (₹24,999, or ₹22,999 in the festive sale) has an 8,000mAh battery and the longest update promise of our picks.

This guide is for anyone in India who wants a new 5G phone and can spend up to ₹25,000. That budget doesn’t stretch as far as it did a year ago. Memory chips have become much more expensive in 2026. Industry data reported in April showed that more than 80 phone models had gone up by over 15% since December 2025, with realme prices up by as much as 53% and Xiaomi’s by as much as 42%. Take the realme P4x as an example: it launched at ₹15,499 in December 2025, and after several price rises its regular price is now ₹24,999. Several popular 2025 phones now cost more than ₹25,000, and many 2026 launches start above it.

To choose, we began with each brand’s official specifications and the launch reports. On 11 October 2026 we checked prices on Flipkart and kept only 5G phones whose regular price, in the variant we name, is ₹25,000 or less. We then compared them on the questions Mobivault customers ask at this budget: how long the battery lasts, whether the camera is good enough, how many years of updates the phone will get, and whether 5G will work on Jio and Airtel. All prices are selling prices without bank offers. Flipkart’s Big Billion Days and Amazon’s Great Indian Festival were both on when we checked. Where a phone was cheaper in the sale, we give its regular price first and the sale price after it. That rule kept out the Infinix Note Edge: Flipkart had the 8GB + 128GB model at ₹22,999 in the sale, but it had been listed at around ₹26,999 before the sale began.

Note: We haven’t tested these phones ourselves. This guide is based on official specs, launch coverage and the prices listed on 11 October 2026. Claims about brightness, battery life and charging speed are the manufacturers’ own figures.

In this article5 sections

Best phones under ₹25,000 compared
Our picks
How to choose a phone under ₹25,000 in 2026
FAQ
Sources

Best phones under ₹25,000 compared

Spec	Poco X7 Pro	CMF Phone 2 Pro	Poco X7	Poco M8 Power	realme P4x
Price in India	₹23,999 (8GB + 256GB)	₹18,999 (8GB + 128GB)	₹17,999 (8GB + 128GB)	₹24,999 (6GB + 128GB); ₹22,999 in the sale	₹24,999 (6GB + 128GB); ₹22,999 in the sale
Processor	MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra	MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro	MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultra	Snapdragon 4 Gen 4	MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultra
Display	6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED, 120Hz	6.77-inch FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz	6.67-inch 1.5K curved AMOLED, 120Hz	FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz	6.72-inch FHD+ LCD, 144Hz
Rear cameras	50MP main (OIS) + 8MP ultra-wide	50MP main + 50MP telephoto (2x optical) + 8MP ultra-wide	50MP main (OIS) + 8MP ultra-wide + 2MP macro	50MP main + secondary lens	50MP main + 2MP mono
Battery · Charging	6,550mAh · 90W	5,000mAh · 33W	5,500mAh · 45W	8,000mAh · 45W	7,000mAh · 45W
Software · Updates promised	Android 15 at launch (Jan 2025); 3 OS upgrades, 4 years of security updates	Android 15 at launch (Apr 2025); 3 Android upgrades, 6 years of security patches	Android 14 at launch (Jan 2025); 3 years of OS updates, 4 years of security updates	Android 16 (Aug 2026); 4 OS upgrades, 6 years of security updates	Android 15 (Dec 2025); no promise on realme’s spec page
Best for	Overall, gaming	Camera	Value, curved screen	Battery, long updates	Back-up all-rounder

Prices are regular Flipkart selling prices checked on 11 October 2026. The Poco M8 Power and realme P4x were cheaper in Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sale, so their sale prices are shown too. Specs come from the brand pages, Flipkart listings and launch reports linked under Sources.

Our picks

#1 Best overall and for gaming

Poco X7 Pro 5G (8GB + 256GB)

Dimensity 8400 Ultra
6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED, 120Hz
6,550mAh · 90W charger in box
IP66 / IP68 / IP69

This variant of the Poco X7 Pro launched at ₹27,999 in January 2025 and now sells for ₹23,999, which makes it the best all-rounder we found under ₹25,000. Its Dimensity 8400 Ultra is the most powerful chip in this guide by some margin. That helps in games, and it also means the phone should still feel quick a few years from now. It also has 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage, an AMOLED screen rated at up to 3,200 nits peak brightness, and dust and water ratings up to IP69.

Most powerful chip here, the clear choice for gaming
256GB storage and a 90W charger in the box
Flipkart’s listing shows both n28 and n78 among its 5G bands

Poco’s update promise (3 OS upgrades, 4 years of security updates) started in January 2025, so part of it is already used up
Only two rear cameras, with no telephoto
Some colours showed low stock when we checked

₹23,999 (8GB + 256GB)

Check on Amazon

Check on Flipkart

#2 Best camera

CMF Phone 2 Pro (8GB + 128GB)

50MP main + 50MP 2x telephoto
Dimensity 7300 Pro
6.77-inch AMOLED, 120Hz
5,000mAh · 33W

If photos matter most to you, the CMF Phone 2 Pro is the only phone in this guide with a telephoto camera. Next to the 50MP main and 8MP ultra-wide cameras is a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, so portraits and zoomed shots don’t have to be crops from the main sensor. It still sells at its launch price of ₹18,999, and Nothing promises 3 Android upgrades (up to Android 18) and 6 years of security patches. Stock is running low, though. If it has sold out by the time you read this, the Poco X7 Pro and Poco X7 both have a 50MP main camera with OIS, but no telephoto.

True telephoto lens for under ₹19,000
185g and 7.8mm thick
33W charger in the box, 6 years of security patches

5,000mAh is the smallest battery in this list
IP54 only, so it handles splashes but shouldn’t go under water
It launched in April 2025, and on 11 October Flipkart had only a few units left of the 128GB model in Orange and Light Green, with the other colours and the 256GB model sold out

₹18,999 (8GB + 128GB)

Check on Amazon

Check on Flipkart

#3 Best value and curved screen

Poco X7 5G (8GB + 128GB)

6.67-inch 1.5K curved AMOLED
Dimensity 7300 Ultra
5,500mAh · 45W charger in box
IP66 / IP68 / IP69

The Poco X7 is the X7 Pro’s cheaper sibling, and at ₹17,999 it is the least expensive phone in this guide. Its 6.67-inch 1.5K curved AMOLED screen is rated at up to 3,000 nits peak brightness, it has the same IP66, IP68 and IP69 dust and water ratings as the Pro, and its 50MP main camera has OIS. The 45W charger comes in the box. This variant launched at ₹21,999 in January 2025 running Android 14, and Poco promised 3 years of OS updates and 4 years of security updates. The 8GB + 256GB version costs ₹19,999.

Curved 1.5K AMOLED screen and stereo speakers for under ₹18,000
IP66/IP68/IP69 ratings and a 45W charger in the box
Flipkart’s listing shows both n28 and n78 among its 5G bands

Dimensity 7300 Ultra and UFS 2.2 storage are well behind the X7 Pro for gaming
It launched on Android 14 in January 2025, so part of its update promise is already used up
The third camera is a 2MP macro, and screen guards are fussier to fit on curved glass

₹17,999 (8GB + 128GB)

Check on Amazon

Check on Flipkart

#4 Best battery and software updates

Poco M8 Power 5G (6GB + 128GB)

8,000mAh · 45W
22.5W reverse wired charging
FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz
4 OS upgrades promised

Buy the Poco M8 Power if you hate charging. Its 8,000mAh silicon-carbon battery is the largest in this guide, the 45W charger comes in the box, and 22.5W reverse wired charging lets it top up earbuds or another phone. It launched on 4 August 2026 with HyperOS 3 on Android 16. Poco promises 4 Android upgrades and 6 years of security updates, the longest support of any phone in this guide. It launched at ₹24,999, which is still its regular price, and Flipkart had it at ₹22,999 in the Big Billion Days sale on 11 October.

Biggest battery here, with the charger included
AMOLED screen at this price
Longest update promise in this list

Snapdragon 4 Gen 4 is an entry-level chip and the weakest here for games
6GB RAM; the 8GB version costs ₹27,999 (₹25,999 in the sale), which is over budget
Heavy at 225g, according to the Flipkart listing

₹24,999 (6GB + 128GB) · ₹22,999 in the sale

Check on Amazon

Check on Flipkart

#5 Best back-up all-rounder

realme P4x 5G (6GB + 128GB)

Dimensity 7400 Ultra
7,000mAh · 45W
6.72-inch LCD, 144Hz
IP64

If the Poco X7 Pro has sold out, the realme P4x is a reasonable fallback for heavy users. It combines a Dimensity 7400 Ultra chip, UFS 3.1 storage and a 7,000mAh battery, and realme’s packing list includes the 45W charger and a protective case. realme’s spec page also lists its 5G bands, including n78 and the 700 MHz n28 band (written as n28B), and shows VoWiFi (Wi-Fi calling) as supported. Its regular price is now ₹24,999, which is more than the X7 Pro costs, so it makes most sense at the ₹22,999 sale price or if the X7 Pro is out of stock.

7,000mAh battery with the charger in the box
144Hz screen and stereo speakers
Official page lists n28 (as n28B), n78 and VoWiFi

LCD, not AMOLED
Runs realme UI 6.0 on Android 15, and realme’s spec page doesn’t state an update promise
Launched at ₹15,499 in December 2025; after several 2026 price rises it now costs ₹24,999, so you are paying the increase in full

₹24,999 (6GB + 128GB) · ₹22,999 in the sale

Check on Amazon

Check on Flipkart

How to choose a phone under ₹25,000 in 2026

What actually matters

The chip and the storage type. You can’t upgrade either one later. A faster chip such as the Dimensity 8400 Ultra and faster storage (UFS 3.1 or 4.0 rather than UFS 2.2) are what keep a phone feeling quick in its third year.
The update promise, counted from the launch date. A promise of “4 years of security updates” is worth less on a phone that came out 20 months ago. Look up when the phone launched as well as how many years were promised.
AMOLED over LCD if you watch a lot of video or use the phone outdoors. Four of our five picks have AMOLED screens.
Battery size and the charger you actually get. At this budget, 6,500 to 8,000mAh batteries are common now, so 5,000mAh is the minimum we’d accept.

What to ignore

Inflated MRPs and “% off” tags. Flipkart lists the Poco M8 Power with an MRP of ₹54,999 next to its ₹22,999 sale price. Only compare selling prices.
“Lowest price for you” and exchange figures. These include bank offers or an old phone you may not have. A bank discount is a bonus, not the price.
Extra 2MP lenses. A 2MP depth or mono camera adds little. What counts is the main camera, plus an ultra-wide or telephoto lens if the phone has one.
“Virtual” or “dynamic” RAM. realme advertises “up to 18GB” for the P4x, but that figure includes storage borrowed as RAM. Count only the physical RAM in the variant name.

Check 5G bands and Wi-Fi calling

Every phone here is sold as a 5G phone, but you should still check its bands. Jio, Airtel and Vi all use n78 as their main 5G band, and Jio also uses n28 (700 MHz) to get 5G indoors. The Poco X7 Pro and Poco X7 (Flipkart listings), CMF Phone 2 Pro (launch spec sheet) and realme P4x (realme’s spec page) list both bands. The Flipkart listing we checked for the M8 Power doesn’t give its bands, so confirm them with the seller or on Poco’s page before you pay. If 5G still doesn’t appear on a new phone, follow our guide on what to do when 5G is not showing. If calls drop inside your home or office, find out whether the phone and your operator support Wi-Fi calling on Jio, Airtel and Vi.

Charger, RAM and storage traps

Charger in the box: the listings or brand pages for all five picks include a charger. That’s not always the case. Flipkart’s listing for the Samsung Galaxy F36 5G, for example, shows no charger in the box. Read the “In the box” section before you compare prices.
4GB RAM variants: stay away from them at this budget. After Samsung’s September price rise, the Galaxy F17 5G costs ₹23,499 for 4GB + 128GB and ₹26,499 for 6GB + 128GB. Samsung does promise 6 OS upgrades and 6 years of security updates, but for the same money our picks give you 6–8GB RAM and faster chips.
Storage: 128GB is the minimum we’d buy. If you shoot a lot of video, buy more storage at the start rather than counting on a memory card, because some phones have no card slot and others share it with the second SIM.

Mobivault shop note: Before you pay, whether online or at a shop, run these checks.

On Flipkart, every listing we checked was sold by a third-party seller rather than the brand, so look at the seller’s rating and return policy before you order.
Check that the box seal is intact. Then dial *#06# and make sure the IMEI numbers match the ones printed on the box and on the invoice.
Make sure the RAM and storage printed on the box match the variant you paid for, and that the charger’s wattage matches what the listing promised.
Ask for a GST invoice that shows the IMEI. Your warranty depends on it, so keep it safe with the box and the warranty card.
Put in your own SIM, make a call and check for the 5G icon before you leave the shop, or as soon as an online order arrives.

Our pick

With ₹25,000 to spend, most people should buy the Poco X7 Pro (8GB + 256GB) at ₹23,999. Nothing else here matches its mix of a fast chip, generous storage, a bright AMOLED screen and a 90W charger in the box. Pick the CMF Phone 2 Pro for the camera, the Poco X7 if you want to spend less, or the Poco M8 Power for battery life and the longest update promise.

Buy it if you game, multitask, or want one phone that does everything well for the next few years.

Skip it if zoom photos or the longest possible software support matter more to you than speed.

FAQ

Is ₹25,000 still enough for a good 5G phone in 2026?

Yes, but you have fewer choices than last year. Higher memory costs have pushed many 2026 launches above ₹25,000. Some older models, such as the Poco X7 Pro and Poco X7, are now cheaper than at launch, and they offer the best value at this budget.

Should I wait for prices to drop after the festive sales?

We can’t predict prices. On 11 October the Poco M8 Power and realme P4x were ₹2,000 cheaper in Flipkart’s sale than their regular ₹24,999, and that discount will end with the sale. Industry reports through 2026 have pointed to memory costs going up, not down. If one of these phones suits you at the price shown, waiting is a gamble.

Is 6GB RAM enough, or should I get 8GB?

6GB is fine for calls, WhatsApp, UPI, YouTube and social media. Choose 8GB if you play games, keep many apps open or plan to use the phone for four years or more. Avoid 4GB phones at this price.

Which of these phones gets software updates for the longest?

The Poco M8 Power has the longest promise: 4 Android upgrades and 6 years of security updates from its August 2026 launch. Next comes the CMF Phone 2 Pro (3 Android upgrades and 6 years of security patches, from April 2025). The Poco X7 Pro and Poco X7 were promised 3 OS updates and 4 years of security updates from January 2025, and realme’s spec page gives no promise for the P4x.

Will these phones work on Jio and Airtel 5G?

The Poco X7 Pro, Poco X7, CMF Phone 2 Pro and realme P4x list both n78 and n28 on their Flipkart listings, launch spec sheets or official pages. For the M8 Power, ask the seller to confirm the bands. Coverage and your recharge plan also matter, so check our 5G not showing guide if the icon doesn’t appear.

Best Phones Under ₹25,000 in India (October 2026): 5 Picks for Camera, Battery and Gaming

Best phones under ₹25,000 compared